


Et Lilium Inter Spinas

by Kuukkeli



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Love at first sight?, Sneaky little thieves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 10:04:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2020926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuukkeli/pseuds/Kuukkeli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A gig goes awry. Sort of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Et Lilium Inter Spinas

**Author's Note:**

> A short something I wrote after coming up with the title.
> 
> Et lilium inter spinas = A lily among thorns.

Scowling at the crowd gathered to the upper level, Drift retreated further into the shadows. Those with riches and wealth... to the Pit with the lot of ‘em.

You could say Drift was bitter and bore malice to those responsible for his current situation. Luckily, Gasket had found him in time before he’d done something he would’ve regretted later. Now it was him, Gasket and six others; eight mouths to feed altogether.

“Someday, we’ll be able to walk up there”, was the gentle voice behind him.

The dark mech startled, his optics flaring. “What have I told you about sneaking up on me? If I had a gun, you’d be dead by now.”

Gasket held his hands up, palms out. “I know, I know. I’m sorry.”

“So. Why are you here?” the brass mech asked, coming next to Drift.

“Same as you.”

“I appreciate your offer of help but you don’t have to do this. And to be honest, you don’t blend in so well”, the larger mech said, placing one of hands on Drift’s spaulder, only to be shrugged off.

“Neither do you. Two of us; double the chance of getting anything at all”, the dark mech spat, starting to walk towards the stairs that took to the upper level.

Gasket hesitated for a moment before following his friend if not to steal, then at least to keep an optic for Security Forces he was sure would be there. The gate to the stairs had been busted long time ago, the bent bars and reinforced hinges were ought to keep the unwanted down where they belonged.

“Drift, wait up! Don’t just-”

The sight took Gasket’s breath away as he ran to stand beside Drift.

Huge, brightly glowing orb-shaped lanterns, fliers speeding across the sky, not far above them, loud noises of conversations... The whole plaza was lit up and nearly cramped with people. What the hell was going on?!

“What is this?” Gasket asked, not able to tear his gaze from the sight.

“Beats me...” Drift muttered, snapping back to it. “Come on, we gotta go before someone sees us”, he said, grabbing the other mech from the arm.

They walked around, optics searching for good targets to steal from. Credit cards mainly but in this situation, anything worth even just a little bit of shanix was worth stealing.

“So, here’s the deal. I distract them and you take whatever you can. Got it?” the brass mech spoke with his voice turned down.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go already. It ain’t our first time doing this, I’ve got the hang of it”, Drift snarled, straightening himself, spotting a target. “That one”, he said, jerking his chin.

A blue mech, a bulky build, not a fast runner.

“All right. Good luck.”

To that, Drift said nothing. The only thing on his mind was the shanix they’d get soon. He went to his place; just right behind the targeted mech, making sure he didn’t raise any suspicion. Giving the signal for Gasket to carry on, he readied himself.

Gasket bumped into the mech, distracting him from the dark mech standing behind him. “Hey! Watch it.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t notice you.”

Now, Drift!

Drift effortlessly opened the hatch of the subspace, slipping his fingers in and pulling out a credit card. Quickly checking it – 50 000 shanix – he closed the hatch without a problem. Turning his back to the two mechs, he walked away to the meeting spot they had agreed on earlier.

Gasket apologized the mech one last time before walking to the opposite direction.

Five minutes later, the brass mech met with Drift. “That went well”, he beamed, a grin on his face.

“The guy only had 50 000 shanix. Won’t be enough for us all”, Drift glowered. “We have to target more.”

It was risky; succeeding once didn’t mean you’d do it again. Every time was a possibility for them to get caught but it was a chance they had to take in order to get fuel and live another day. Drift didn’t exactly enjoy it but he did what he had to do.

“All right. Let’s continue prowling”, the larger mech sighed, his shoulders hunching. Clearly, he didn’t like it, either.

After an hour or so of hunting, they had stolen 240 000 shanix, 30 000 shanix for each. It was better than nothing but still it didn’t pay more than three days’ worth of energon. Here, down in the gutters, everything cost at least double that of what it would on the surface. So every shanix counted. Valued, treasured, secured. One would kill for a handful.

“You think we’re good?” Gasket asked after counting the shanix they had... gathered so far.

“Should we give one last shot?” the dark mech opined and kept looking for intruders from their hideout – a dark alley – while Gasket stored the shanix back to the box and in his subspace.

“I guess we should. With 240 000 we are able to go three days, four at max if we skimp.”

Nodding at that, Drift was already filtering through the crowd for their next prey.

There. A gray grounder. Long legs but top heavy. Easy escape.

This time Drift was the distracter and Gasket would snitch.

Taking their places among the surging crowd, the both mechs were invisible, their optics darting around to see even a hint of dark blue paint or a red cross.

Just when Gasket was ready, Drift saw a flash of white in the corner of his optic. He turned his head to see what it was. Searching the source of the sudden glint and finally spotting it, the grounder froze where he stood.

A mech. A pearlescent white mech with additions of red, and those amber optics... Which suddenly turned to watch him. Drift vented inwards sharply, their mission forgotten. Gasket tried to get Drift’s attention without making himself conspicuous but his efforts were in vain. The dark mech couldn’t get his optics off the white mech.

This white mech’s gaze travelled to Gasket and then back to Drift, a meaningful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The brass mech fled the plaza, cursing under his breath and hoped Drift followed him. But Drift stayed, unable to leave as if his feet were nailed to the spot.

He was... beautiful; that was the only word Drift could come up with. Beautiful.

The optic contact didn’t last long as someone seemed to call this mech, the exotic head turning away. Mouthing ‘coming’, the mech returned his gaze once more before walking out of Drift’s sight. Drift wanted to see more of this exquisite mech but then he noticed two paroling Security enforces. Shouting silent commands to his legs to move, he ran to Gasket.

Once sure no one had seen him, Drift vented a sigh of relief.

“What the hell was that all about?” Gasket hissed, not daring to raise his voice any more.

The grounder remained quiet, his mind spinning around the image of the white mech. Pushing past the fussing mech, he headed to their ‘home’, ignoring the words Gasket was spewing, ignoring the shouts from the upper level. The only thing he cared about was the white beauty; his golden optics and that warm smile.

No one had ever looked at Drift like that. No one.

He had to see him again. No matter what it takes, he _will_ see him again.


End file.
